Separable combo abilities and real "combos"

[Shurrikhan]

Imagine if every weaponskill currently limited to in-combo use (outside of, say, Meikyo Shisui or Perfect Balance) could be used freely, "combo"-ing instead based only on effects embedded in the weaponskill itself and/or some replacing "combo" mechanic.

For instance, imagine if Spinning Edge could situationally be stacked, at diminishing returns, to empower a following skill or could be timed for an evasion bonus, or Gust Blade could be used as a Wind-building skill and a gap-closer, or that Greased Lightning diminished sooner, but granularly rather than in large stack-sized chunks, and was built per cycle rather than per Coeurl skill (outside of Perfect Balance).

Essentially, every weaponskill has at least a situational reason to take up its button space at every GCD, rather than, say, having your choice of combo-path alone (per as infrequently as six times per minute on DRG).

What would that gameplay look like to you? How would you like it to function?

[Seraphor]

I think this is a neat idea, and have thought of something similar in the past.
I dont think they should revamp the current system for it though, i think it could be a good combo system for a new class, or perhaps offer greater variety for current classes after level 70, as a trait enhancing their abilities instead of adding more abilities and creating button bloat.

[Shurrikhan]

I think this is a neat idea, and have thought of something similar in the past.
I dont think they should revamp the current system for it though, i think it could be a good combo system for a new class, or perhaps offer greater variety for current classes after level 70, as a trait enhancing their abilities instead of adding more abilities and creating button bloat.

Fair enough. I think it's a bit too powerful and broadly useful an improvement to be limited to just one job, but that would definitely offer unique flavor, true.

Any sample ideas on how it'd work on the new job?

[Seraphor]

I'd like a heavy weapon maiming DPS, maybe using hammers or something, but not sure on the flavour for it or what classic job to base it on.
Either way, i thought of a 'ramping up' combo system that can be used, sort on like monk stances ctossed with dark arts, whereby repeating certain skills built up 'momentum' and increased the potency of their finishers based on how many times you used the pre-finisher moves.